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Shopping for an area rug is now more than just pointing at something with an appealing color. Due to the wide selection in color, size, shape, texture and design, choosing an area rug is almost like being in a shop full of beautiful but affordable shoes or in a candy store where everything is for free!

There are different kinds of rugs depending on the materials used. Rugs are categorized into two major types – the natural rugs and the synthetic rugs.

Natural rugs – these rugs are made of wool, cotton, bamboo, jute and other renewable materials and natural fibers. If you’re an eco-friendly consumer, these rugs are perfect for you. Wool is a popular material from sheep’s hair, which explains the lush and soft fabric. Cotton is an incredibly soft fiber and bamboo is very durable, great for high-traffic areas. Jute is not commonly used as it can get easily damaged if exposed too much to direct sunlight and moisture. However, it is softer than cotton so just imagine how amazing this fabric feels.

Then there are natural fibers. Wool is extremely dyeable, durable, soft, and clean. Wool is considered to be the superior fiber and tends to be the standard to which all other rug materials are measured. Cotton is softer than wool but cotton rugs are not nearly as durable as their wool counterparts. Jute is not a very common material used whenever it comes to making rugs It is the softer than cotton, possibly softer than any other natural fiber. Unfortunately whenever Jute is exposed to direct sunlight it can either darken or fade in color and whenever it is exposed to moisture for long periods of time, it will eventually disintegrate.

Now that you have been familiarized with natural and unnatural fibers here are some words that every rug shopper should be familiar with. Whenever you go to a rug store you will end up feeling more confident about your decisions and will possibly impress the sales person.

Stitches and needle counts – this means the number of loops of yarn. When the rug has a higher needle or stitch count, it becomes thicker and richer in fabric. This is preferred by many because the rug lasts longer as it doesn’t easily succumb to wear and tear compared to a loosely-woven rug, the result of fewer needle and stitch counts.

Line Count – a process used for polypropylene fiber for putting twists into the yarn. This gives the synthetic rug an appearance similar to a natural wool-made rug.

Pile – this is not the stock of rug as the term might seem to imply. Pile means the face of the rug or the surface of the rug. A design or pattern is showcased on the rug’s pile.

Border – this is the group of designs that are repeated in one direction in the border or outer lining of the rug.

Warp Yard – if you hear this word, this simply means the stationary threads of the rug, and is the strongest fiber used in rug production. The yard is woven through the warps, hence the name.

The border refers to the composition of the decorative designs that are repeated in one direction all around the outside of the rug.

Knowing the basic terminology of rugs will help tremendously when it to navigating a rug shop looking for the perfect rug for your hearth and your home.

If you enjoyed this information about choosing rugs, then you are going to love these braided wool rugs.

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